I need a new drive center. Would appreciate pros and cons on a multi-tooth center with retractible spring loaded point. It sounds good but I don't know.
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Drive Center
- Thread starter LANKFORD
- Start date
I've got the one from Craft Supplies with the spring loaded point and multiple teeth around the outside edge. I don't remember using any of the 4 point units since I got this one - love it!
Wilford
Wilford
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Since I bought a Stebcenter, I have not used any of the others. But, if I was going to rough a really large chunk of wood, I think that I would go back to a conventional drive center.
Bill
Bill
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I got the big one from craft supplies and the small one from PSI and in terms of performance they are equal and if I had to make a choice about buying a 1" model I wouldn't hesitate to go cheap and buy the PSI one.
I agree with Bill if it came to using a drive center on a big piece I go back to my large conventional spurs, mostly the 2" one that fits in my chuck jaws.
I agree with Bill if it came to using a drive center on a big piece I go back to my large conventional spurs, mostly the 2" one that fits in my chuck jaws.
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Two-fanger is my favorite. I'm lazy, but I can make a saw kerf in the end of a piece of wood at the bandsaw pretty well. Two, at right angles would mean I'd have to have perpendiculars to reference the kerfs, and I'm too lazy to do that.
Not that I do it, being a pin chuck regular, but if I were starting lumps between centers with a spur, I'd make one kerf across the grain to fit the center in, same as in spindles. Can't figure the advantage of the other slipping kind, so not spending money anytime soon to find out.
Not that I do it, being a pin chuck regular, but if I were starting lumps between centers with a spur, I'd make one kerf across the grain to fit the center in, same as in spindles. Can't figure the advantage of the other slipping kind, so not spending money anytime soon to find out.
Cheapest at PSI
I bought the small one (stebcentre style) at PSI and like it. My only other drive center is the 4 prong that came with the lathe. Hard to use on small stuff and I have wrecked a couple items with it so I spent a few bucks. I don't know why the others cost so much more.
Frank
I bought the small one (stebcentre style) at PSI and like it. My only other drive center is the 4 prong that came with the lathe. Hard to use on small stuff and I have wrecked a couple items with it so I spent a few bucks. I don't know why the others cost so much more.
Frank
I saw a demo of the Sorby steb centers when they came out and it seems the most useful basis is in spindle turning. The turner can loosen the tail stock and the spring in the drive will push the work to the right allowing it to be held but not being driven. Then the turner can check measurements, finish and such without stopping the lathe. Tighten the tail stock again and it's right back to work.
This is not to say that it can't be useful in face grain orientation.
This is not to say that it can't be useful in face grain orientation.
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Stebcenters
Mr Lankford,
I have the Stebcenter drive center and the Stebcenter tailcenter and like them both. They are not my choice for large chunks of wood, but for spindlework they can't be beat.
For starting a bowl I use a two-prong Texas spur center from Best Wood Tools that is threaded for my spindle. Solid!
Mr Lankford,
I have the Stebcenter drive center and the Stebcenter tailcenter and like them both. They are not my choice for large chunks of wood, but for spindlework they can't be beat.
For starting a bowl I use a two-prong Texas spur center from Best Wood Tools that is threaded for my spindle. Solid!
On the other hand...
I've got an assortment of drive centers, including the Stebcenter. The Stebcenter has some advantages, but I've had it spin out on me way too many times, even when I'm not being aggressive. And I've had very poor luck with them when the end of the piece is uneven or angled. I mostly use the standard and miniature 4-prong drive centers. They aren't quite as convenient because they have to be driven in (unless I can score the end using the bandsaw), but the don't spin out nearly as easily.
Right now I'm playing with some multi-axis offcenter turning and once I've got the center set on each axis, it's real easy switch between axes. With the Stebcenter, the teeth always wanted to bite into a new spot, and eventually chewed a circle, which of course let it spin out when I looked at it cross-eyed.
I've got an assortment of drive centers, including the Stebcenter. The Stebcenter has some advantages, but I've had it spin out on me way too many times, even when I'm not being aggressive. And I've had very poor luck with them when the end of the piece is uneven or angled. I mostly use the standard and miniature 4-prong drive centers. They aren't quite as convenient because they have to be driven in (unless I can score the end using the bandsaw), but the don't spin out nearly as easily.
Right now I'm playing with some multi-axis offcenter turning and once I've got the center set on each axis, it's real easy switch between axes. With the Stebcenter, the teeth always wanted to bite into a new spot, and eventually chewed a circle, which of course let it spin out when I looked at it cross-eyed.
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I use two drive centers.
4 prong spur drive for starting the big stuff. bowls, large hollow forms.
a plain cup center for driving small spindles especially christmas ornament finals and balls. These are the pre-ball bearing tailstock centers.
advantages of this cup are:
1. near perfect remounting of a piece if I take it off the lathe or decide to flip it end for end since this cup matches my tailstock cup. I've been working on some pices which require a vase shape at each end. I can do this betwen centers but mus flip the vase opening to the tailstock side for hollowing. (i leave the pin in and cut it away later)
2. The chuck will screw on the lathe without removing the cup. When turning 50 ornaments this saves a bit of time.
disadvantage: is the the cup does not provide much bite or resitance ( an advantage for students who might get catches if they didn't pay attention) But it forces me to use good cutting techniques and avoid too much hogging which is bad for the wood.
Two other drives I use for things like a flat board for a platter are a chuck with the jaws open or a faceplate with no screws. I just jamb chuck against these with the tail stock. It ensures that the face of the board against the faceplate is in a plane perpendicular to the lathe.
happy turning,
Al
4 prong spur drive for starting the big stuff. bowls, large hollow forms.
a plain cup center for driving small spindles especially christmas ornament finals and balls. These are the pre-ball bearing tailstock centers.
advantages of this cup are:
1. near perfect remounting of a piece if I take it off the lathe or decide to flip it end for end since this cup matches my tailstock cup. I've been working on some pices which require a vase shape at each end. I can do this betwen centers but mus flip the vase opening to the tailstock side for hollowing. (i leave the pin in and cut it away later)
2. The chuck will screw on the lathe without removing the cup. When turning 50 ornaments this saves a bit of time.
disadvantage: is the the cup does not provide much bite or resitance ( an advantage for students who might get catches if they didn't pay attention) But it forces me to use good cutting techniques and avoid too much hogging which is bad for the wood.
Two other drives I use for things like a flat board for a platter are a chuck with the jaws open or a faceplate with no screws. I just jamb chuck against these with the tail stock. It ensures that the face of the board against the faceplate is in a plane perpendicular to the lathe.
happy turning,
Al
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I have a couple of stebcenter type drive centers along with the usual 4 point spur center. When I got the first stebcenter, I was a little worried it might throw off the lathe, so I did a little extra. I leave a little extra stock on the one end and I put a shallow counterbore on the end about 1/8" deep and slightly larger than the diameter of the stebcenter. The stebcenter fits in it perfectly. Works perfect and adds a degree on confidence to it staying on the lathe. Once I'm done turning, I just trim it off with the miter saw.
Don't know that it's necessary, but I still do it just for confidence.
I don't think I've used the 4 point center in the last year, so that must say I like them.
Paul
Don't know that it's necessary, but I still do it just for confidence.
I don't think I've used the 4 point center in the last year, so that must say I like them.
Paul